Madonna's Happy New Family

Madonna spoke to Oprah today and it looks like she can leave the controversy behind her now and just focus on her expanded family. What joy the new family seems to be sharing! An in-depth article can be found here.

Comments

I SAY IT IS JUST WONDERFUL ! THE CHILD WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL LIFE WITH HER. YES, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE LITTLE GUY TO BE RAISED BY HIS FATHER. MONDANNA CAN GIVE HIM ALOT MORE AND LATER GO BACK TO HIS COUNTRY AND HELP OUT. I REALY THINK THIS WAS JUST MENT TO BEAND ITS JUST WONDERFUL….

Ramona, perhaps you misunderstood me. I do not want nor will I try to force my views on to you. I certainly do not expect you or anyone else to simply agree with me just because you feel that is what I am asking by stating my feelings towards any given subject. I was very honest when I asked why you feel as you do.
Perhaps you may have something there that has not occured to me. Please do not just get angry and say fine! Help me to understand your reasons in a bit more detail as to predictions of future media. And I apologize for the smart remark I made in asking you if you were the American President using your name as a cover. True, it was a chuckle, but perhaps not very nice.

Ramona it’s fine to say that you don’t like Madonna and you believe your own opinions about why you think she’s adopting and all that stuff.

I have read extensively over the past three-four weeks all about this situation so please don’t sit there and judge me and call me a “selective reader”. I only see ONE article you have posted so perhaps you should be the one to do a bit more OPEN MINDED reading before you rush to make judgements on anyone else.

Who cares if we see a lot of Madonna in the next few weeks if it saves this child’s life I am all for it. To send him back would be a definite death sentence…nobody can argue that.

Fine. Fine. Fine.
Olivia, I have never written anything about any one nationality of baby orphaned or otherwise.
Carleigh and Olivia you are both extremely selective readers. That’s your issue not mine.

Mark my words we are all going to be seeing quite alot of Madge in the days to come as she does the talk show circuit. Tune in to Regis and Kathy Lee, oh and her greatest hits cd makes a terrific stocking stuffer. . .

Ramona,
I don’t think there is ONE single person here who has NOT been made aware of what’s going on. We’ve been following the news, reading articles and watching news reports just as you have. I saw the Oprah interview that she had with MADONNA! Did you get a chance to see that? Oprah didn’t make any comments independent of Madonna that’s why she had the interview in the first place. I also read the article posted on MSN.com regarding Yohane Banda and I think it’s ridiculous. It is all heartbreaking and very confusing, but I do NOT for one second believe Madonna is doing this for the selfish, selfserving reasons you have stated above. This little boy has no mother, his family is too poor to feed him and he’s been living in an orphanage for the past year of his life! Is that fair to little David? Or is it more fair that he get’s a chance at having a good quality of life like he has now? The father goes back and forth on what he says and nobody can really blame him. He is a poor, uneducated farmer living in a third world country. He was the one who said he hoped Madonna didn’t get tired of the media attention and get fed up and send David back. I think the father realizes the finality of his actions and like any loving parent who gives up a child to a better life, he feels heartbroken and guilty. Who could blame him? He’s already lost 2 other children to malaria and now his only living son is gone too, the reality is sinking in and my heart breaks for him but even he realizes the importance of this situation. He loves David enough to know he did the right thing for his son and wishes people would just leave him alone for now.
Next time instead of copying and pasting an entire article maybe state your own opinion and post a link. Let others draw their own conclusions and personal opinions and if you feel the need, defend yours as well.

Ramona, there is no need to get pissy. You certainly are free to think as you wish, but then again it is also my right to think as I wish. You may feel that I am too far gone to give a damn about your reality, but I too think the same of you. Actually I feel very sorry for you in that you place a greater value on American babies than on other nations children. A baby no matter from what nation is an innocent. It does however make me chuckle that not only are you feeling free to direct anyone and everyones thoughts in that direction, but you also seem to feel free to direct the web mistress on how to run her site. Are you by any chance the American president? That was a joke, sorry coundn’t resist. But may I ask you as to your credentials as to knowing the the “very real repercussions” of the Madona created situation, as you put it? I am willing to listen and am very interested in your thought process. Sway me Ramona

The point of the article was to give those of you who possibly like Madge don’t read the papers a reality check from a reputable source. Apparently you are too far gone to give a damn about the very real repercussions of the situation that was created by Madge deciding she was going to have what she wanted no matter what.
Anyway, if Oprah says it’s okay then it must be, right?
Web Mistress please delete post 55 as your very well read audiece doesn’t need it.
Thanks!

May I ask your point of copy/pasting an article that is available for all to read should we so choose? Would you personally be suggesting this child be abandoned by Madona at this point? You made no comment of your own from which your point is as it is. To me it appears continue to stir the trouble in a sneaky “I didn’t do anything” kind of way.

By Denise Hall and Mabvuto Banda in Malawi
DAVID BANDA is not one of Malawi?s one million-plus orphans.
He has a father, uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents. His father, Yohane, is a hardworking man, a small farmer who cultivates potatoes and maize. Yohane is illiterate and says he did not understand that American pop idol Madonna intended to take his son away for good.

He thought she would keep David for a number of years, and then return him so that he could care for his family as they reached old age.

Yohane has lost his wife and two other sons. Through an interpreter, he explained to us that he did not want to lose David too, but that he could see no other way out.

?I thought it would be like keeping him at the orphanage, that Madonna would take care of him as we could not. I did not realise that my child would be taken for good.

?The Director of Child Welfare explained the document I signed with Madonna to me. But it was not as I understood it to be. I thought that she would educate my son, then send him back to us. This is what I understood of the document I signed.?

Yet, Yohane insists that he will not try and stand in his son?s way now.

?What can I do? I don?t want my child to come back now. It would be the end of his future if he did.?

Yohane and his extended family live in the small village of Lipunga, about 110 miles west of Malawi?s capital of Lilongwe, where a majority of the population exist on a dollar a day.

There are some one million orphans in Malawi amid growing concern that, as HIV/AIDS continues to take its deadly toll, these numbers will accelerate. The fear is that the extended family system is in danger of collapsing completely, leaving few people to care for the orphans.

?If my mother had the means, or any of my other relatives, my son would not have gone into the orphanage. But, because of HIV/ AIDS, my family would not take the risk of another person breastfeeding my son,? the father said.

Bottle-feeding with formula is simply not an option for many families in Malawi, the second poorest country in the world. There can be little doubt that the situation for families like Yohane?s has become increasingly desperate.

And yet, where exactly does compassion end and colonialism begin?

The first rule of childcare workers in the Western world is to try at all costs, to keep families together.

Madonna could have righted many of the wrongs in Lipunga and reunited this desperately-poor family instead of driving them even further apart.

?Inter-country adoption must never be a first port of call,? according to Phillipa Lei of World Vision. ?We look to more sustainable solutions that are community based and drawn from extended family networks. Instead, we encourage sponsorship in the child?s country of origin.?

Malawi-based Reuters correspondent Mabvuto Banda, who has been reporting on the story, says: ?Madonna claimed that none of David?s family visited him. This is not true. And I wonder if she knew that the cloth she used to tie the baby on her back when she danced at the orphanage belonged to David?s grandmother, who was there at the time? She said, ?If we didn?t care about this baby, why were we there?? Where does Madonna think that the cloth she used came from?

?This story hurt Yohane very much. He regularly cycled for three days to get to the orphanage.?

Mabvuto explained little David Banda?s exit from Malawi was hurried and unexpected.

Did Yohane have the chance to say goodbye to his son? ?I did not know that David had gone for two days,? Yohane says. ?It was then that I heard this news on the local radio station. I am sad, but I believe that life is better, not so hard in the UK and the US, as it is here in Malawi.?

What are Yohane?s plans now? ?I feel uncertain, confused. I do not know what I will do. People ask will I join in with the groups who are protesting about this thing. But I do not know. I am waiting for the government to confirm what it is that I signed before I know what will happen,? he said.

Today, in the village of Lipunga, opinions are divided. Many villagers are becoming angry at the hordes of foreign journalists who have descended on them and others are upset by Yohane?s claims that he was not properly informed. They believe that Madonna intends to build a road to the village and possibly help them in other ways.

And an unfounded local rumour has recently spread like wildfire. It suggests that Madonna has become so angry at their ingratitude that she is threatening to send baby David back. [ FRONT PAGE ] [ BACK ]
? Thomas Crosbie Media, 2006.

I did not intend to sound disrespectful to American
Military. They are doing their job as requested by their country. The purpose was in response to the comment that American children should be thought of first in regards to celebrity adoptions. I responded because I have read this several times in the past and fail to understand why a country with such great wealth and the freedoms it speaks of so often would consider their children more deserving than children from Africa or any other poverty stricken nation. My heart goes out to those caught up in or with loved ones involved in war where ever it may be. I apologize if I sounded disrespectful to American military personel and their families. I also realize not all Americans are in agreement with the goings on in their capital, however it is difficult to understand how in such a wealthy country where the wealth is held by a mere 1 % and Americans vote to keep it that way when people suffer there as much as in countries they are critical of, to the point of interference and then make statements regarding their children are more deserving than others. I suppose my question should have been elsewhere on the internet, however as the statement was made on this site, I felt free to ask why .

Please bare in mind that some of us have family in the war. Right or wrong, our children are fighting for our country and we are very worried about them. No matter what our president is doing or has done we still need to support our troops no matter what.

I think the pictures are adorable. I love the first one with Guy holding him up and the expressions on both of their faces are just precious. Little David will definitely be better off in life now that he has a real chance to live. I didn’t agree with Madonna doing this at first but after reading all the stories about David, his country, and getting all the facts how can Madonna not want to help this child out? It was a sad situation and now there is a happy ending.

Olivia,
I had to speak up on your last post.
Please don’t assume ALL Americans are in agreement over the war, the president, or the way things are being run in this country. Many are not.

And bear in mind we can’t get a new president for another year..and I’m sure people do vote for their senators, governors, and state representitives according to how THEY would like to see things handled. But we don’t have a private line to the president to let him know if we think he should be spending money in other ways. Besides, a lot of the garbage we’re in the middle of started AFTER our president had already been elected. And it was a close race, both times.

Sorry, it just worried me to read
“If they are really concerned about America’s children then perhaps they should vote a bit more wisely and know the what and why’s of their tax dollars. And fix their problems at home before they allow their president to attempt to tell the world how to live. They seem to vote and care more about spending money on wars than their children”
We all do our best in whatever ways we can. But, the majority rules here,and not always for the best–but don’t think we all think that the war and the other things going on in the U.S. are “okay” with every American. 🙂

Very good point Skye and you are correct. It is my understanding and please correct me if I am incorrect. Americans pay considerable taxes that are designed to go to programs to help poor American families, children, single parents, those who have been victims of national disastors such as Katrina, illness and have insurance companies which collect money but do not actually pay because profit is more important than American children, women, and men.. America has money and programs other nations do not. It seems to me Americans live in a free country in which they are free to pay considerable taxes that end up in their presidents friend’s pockets and not to where it was designed to go. Americans have a vote and considering the way they vote, it seems to me they like it just the way it is. Other poor nations do not have that option to vote as to where money goes as there is no vote and no money to vote about. Americans have an election coming up. If they are really concerned about America’s children then perhaps they should vote a bit more wisely and know the what and why’s of their tax dollars. And fix their problems at home before they allow their president to attempt to tell the world how to live. They seem to vote and care more about spending money on wars than their children .

Lola and Jesse I loved your posts, very well said. Olivia great posts.
Ramona you mentioned her film crew was there so it had to be for publicity. She has been filming a documentrary from there since before August.
raisingmalawi.org would help you to see how much help is needed and what she is doing there.

Essie- you scare me with that close minded attitude. Do you know how many 3rd world children are dying each DAY? I know here in the US children are not dying by the 1200’s each year, let alone daily. Most children here are fed and warm at night and have access to any medical treatments they need. You can’t even be sure of one of those for 3rd world children. I’m sorry so many think this is such a bad thing.

The pictures say everthing. Madonna’s visit on Oprah was very impressive. You have to be a sincere cynic to deny that she was genuine in her feelings and actions. As someone said here the other day, more or less: “feel free to go adopt a child, yourself, and feel free to send money too. ” There is plenty of need out there.

And those of you criticizing Madonna and her concerts.. this is not news Madonna has always been controversial an thats what keeps her famous and different from the rest. This is who she is and who she she has always been. I’m not saying I like it or dislike it but it’s her way to be over the edge. Anyone who can maintain her level of stardom is a quick changing world of one hit wonders out there, I say kudos to her!!!

the news is the father is ok with all of this and does realize what he’s done so don’t worry about him .now Madonna can go on and enjoy her new member of the family and little david can enjoy his new improved life.

Sadly I just have to say if Gwenyth has a stick in her fanny over how Madge spends her money then sad to see you go don’t let the door hit you in the bum Gwenny Dear. Perhaps Princess Gwenny Dear needs to observe the real world and perhaps spend a few of her and hubby’s money on less fortunate children of the world and less time being critical of others who do. It wasn’t that long ago she was critical of the Pit Jolie adoptions and donations to other mothers & children of the world. And by all means if a father has the balls to admit he is incapable of caring for his own child and has enough love in his heart for that child to place him or her for adoption, that baby deserves to be adopted into who ever’s family that has love in their hearts and can afford to give him or her a better life, as the father wished in the first place. Those critical may rest assured David is being treated no differently than Madona’s natural children. And should it not remain so you can certainly spend & waste your hard earned $$$$ on rag magazines so they can tell you if little David is mistreated! Is your paying for the rag mags money better spent than giving that money to needy children of the world? Are you aware pennies from other countries can buy life for children in poverty stricken nations? Are those of you who are critical saying you would have had more respect and approved if Madona had gone to Walmart or K-Mart for David’s clothes and toys? You would be screaming bloody murder and you know it!

In repsonse to a previous post, someone had complained about how much money she spent on clothes, a rocking horse, and a nursery for David. Ok, Madonna is rich!!! Of course she is going to spend money like that on her babies!! What do you people expect?? For her to go shopping at Walmart to get the ‘on sale’ $8.99 outfit for David?? Of course she is not going to do that!!! If you had the money of course you would buy all brand name clothes, $5,000 rocking horses, and a $30,000 nursery for your baby too. Its just pathetic how average people (no offense to anyone, I am just an average person too) complain about how celebs and rich people spend their money. What is it to you if these babies have a wardrobe worth more than you could ever imagine, thats life!!

I am in total agreement with Grunch. I dislike her concerts & offensive ways and how she has brought attention to hersel in the past. I am however impressed with this side of her we are now seeing. I am very impressed with the world awareness and the step in the right direction as an active adult taking leading steps toward’s saving the worlds children. Bravo Madge, welcome to the world of caring adults! One child at a time. It never ceases to amaze me how the Catholic church discourages birth control. Many in the world are anti abortion, yet few people actually step forward and take on the overwhelming responsibility of taking on these poor babies who have nothing and no one. Now Madona does just that, takes on one child leading the way, putting her money where her mouth is, so to speak, and here come the nay sayers shouting and finding fault. Just what do these people actually want? More children in the world cold hungry, alone, ill, starving to death for love as well as nourishment. What a sad sad world and selfish lot the people of this world have become.

so lets just aboilish adoption all together, and all parents who want to adopt can use that money instead and give it to childrens family instead! There should be no adoption AT ALL unless BOTH parents are dead, right?

Madge has pledged 3-4 mil. not sure if that’s pounds or dollars to building a community center/ clinic/ childrens
care center. The childrens center will teach Kaballah for Kids a traditional Malawian pedagogy. Just kidding about the traditional part. The rest is true.
So, basically Madge is in the missionary business now.
You can see the master plan at raisingmalawi.org

Well said Lola! Those of you who are critical did not mention if you have heard the words from Madona’s mouth or simply reading hear say in the tabloids designed to sell rag mag’s at what ever and who ever’s expense? If you are reading, then shame on you for your lack of knowledge and if your still critical after listening to Madona’s own words, as in yesterday’s Oprah then perhaps I would be interested in why you still feel as strongly as you do instead of just shooting off your mouths! Or perhaps you think if a parent puts their own child in an orphanage because they can’t care for them themselves that child deserves to stay their for the rest of their life! OR—Are you saying punish the child for the sins of the parent? God help the children!

IMO this is a blackmarket adoption. This child WAS NOT a orphan. Madonna went in a took what she wanted like she does with everything else. She waived money under this baby fathers nose and Of course being where he is he took it. Dont get me wrong, Im all for a child having a better life. This child will have a better life at the cost of not knowing who he really is or who his family is. Do you really think madonna is going to allow this father to see david after the adoption is final? Its both a great thing and a sad thing that is going on in my eyes.

First of all to Jesse: in countries with rampant poverty and no foster care people who cannot care for their children often do leave them at orphanages until their
situation improves. To whoever said Madge didn’t court publicity in all this, if bringing your own film crew w/you to Malawi to catch every touching moment of you among the orphans isn’t courting publicity then it’s certainly creating some. From what Madge has said it would seem this particular child caught her eye and she was going to have him no matter what. Now I know alot of adoptive parents and not a one of them was ever in the situation of choosing their child.
My heart goes out to David’s father whose own choices for his only living child seems to have been keep him and watch him die or let him be taken away for a chance at life. If anyone thinks for a minute that this man isn’t broken hearted they are in serious denial.
As for Madge inflicting this type of pain on another no matter how pure your motives is inexcusable.
In Kabbalah there are different levels of philanthropic action with the first and purest being anonomously to anonomous benificiaries. Perhaps it’s time to start walking the walk. . .

Well ladies I totally disagree with you. So what your saying is that celebrities or anyone for that matter should not be allowed to adopt a child and should have to pick only children that’s parents are dead – how ridiculous! Oh and let me get this clear – just because they are a celebrity and have money they should have to choose the child that YOU feel is better suited to them because YOU don’t agree with what they do? Pull your head out of your asses. Why was the child in the orphanage to begin with??? Did Madonna not provide financial means to improve their lives…funny I’ve been hearing about the millions she’s donated to assist that orphanage and others, um..hmm to help improve their lives – apparently you turned a deaf ear to this. Did she not talk to the father before the press got to him, have a home study done, go through the proper motions of adopting a child? Honestly no one (NOT EVEN YOU) knows for sure what happened. Did she ask for all the publicity – probably not. So now are you going to chastize every single celebrity who chooses to help and/or adopt a child from another country because it doesn’t fit with YOUR theory of how a child should be adopted? and god forbid label them as “jumping on the bandwagon”? Give me a break – man do I feel sorry for you and your closed minded opinions. I guess all celebrities according to you should live in a cave, never spend their money on anything and live by your ideals of how a celebrity should act. What a pathetic world this would be LOL if everyone thought like you did. While I may not agree with how Madonna has conducted herself on stage, who really cares. She appears to be a good mother (which is really none of my business) and good for her for trying to give a child a better life.

I’m confused over the whole issue…PR stunt vs. true intentions? David had a father vs. a real orphan with no family? Lavish spending spree vs. helping the village? Total confusion! I just hope her heart is in the right place and she gives that little boy alot of love and raises him right! You kinda got to worry about Madonna’s kids…mom’s got a sex book and gets crucified in her concert. Not June Cleaver! Oh well…Good luck little David! Have fun with your new family!

This is getting so crazy. She went to an ORPHANAGE (that is where children go while they WAIT to be ADOPTED). David spent a whole year in there WAITING to be ADOPTED! It dosen’t matter if a child in an ORPHANAGE has a living parent or not. They still go and live in an orphanage until someone comes along to adopt them. An orphanage is not a babysitting service for parents to just put them in for 5 years then come and get them again. I adopted a boy from an orphanage too, and guess what? both of his parents were still living – they just couldn’t take care of him. So does that make me a bad person???????????????How many adopted take place every day in Canada and the US where the child has a living parent?

# 13 and 14, I’m there with you! I just can’t stop thinking about the father who was travelling 25 miles a day every day to see his son. Wait until this sinks into him – that he might never see his baby again. Whatever the intentions of Madonna were, I still find what she did outrageous. She could have helped a baby that had no parents, there are so many of those orphans who cry for help, rather than wrecking a family. I saw a footage of a dead baby girl thrown on the streets of China, people were passing by, nobody cared to lift it up and burry it. And then you think that there are millions of richpeople who would have helped the baby. Sorry, girls, I know you don’t agree with me, but that is how I feel – Madona just sried for publicity, nothing else. She could have easily invested a million bucks into david’s village – she would have saved many more lives!!!

I have to agree with you Susan. I have never liked Madonna, and to me she is just jumping on the celeb bandwagon doing this. It is good that this little one has the chance of a good life, but I think it is all publicity for Madonna, who lets face it hasn’t made any good music in ages. Also, my estimations of her went down (not that they were anywhere near high) when I saw her girating on a crucifix at her latest show posing as Christ. Who does she think she is? Although her judgement will come in due course. Her pleasures she is enjoying now.

Susan – I have to agree with you. I have never liked Madonna and to me she is just jumping on the band wagon of other celebrities doing what she has done. I realise that she is giving this little one the chance of life, and good luck to her, but she went way down in my estimations (not that I had high expectations of her anyway!) when she girated on a crucifix posing as Christ on her tour. Her judgement will come. She is having her pleasures now.

Good to see Madona’s PR machine in motion—of course they look happy! She is trying desperately to counter all the negative media regarding this “adoption”.

I think that it is rather sad (and outrageous, frankly), that she chose to adopt a child who has a parent, albeit an impoverished one. If she had truly wanted to help David and all the other children of Malawi, she could have done so by providing the financial means to improve their lives. But rather, Madonna chose to pluck a young boy out of his country and away from his father, to live in the fishbowl that is her life.

Her ludicrous spending spree ($28,000) on decorations for his nursery and toys for him to play with, including a child-sized electric car, a $9,300 (£5,000) rocking horse and a “designer wardrobe.”, just illustrates that she has no idea what this little boy really needs. Guess its just so trendly now to have a patchwork family.

I was impressed by the televised interview Madona did with Oprah. I hadn’t cared for her in the past, but only had press reports to go on. She was very impressive, up front, mature, respectful, and her words rang true. If you have the opportunity to watch it, please do, it is her response to all this tabloid frenzy in her own words from her own lips. Her facial expressions and body language matched her words.

Awwww, he is a cutie and looks very happy. I love the pic with Rocco and him holding hands. I like the one with Guy and David too. Looks like everyone is happy, especially David. I love his jeans and white turtleneck. I’m sure he will bring as much to thier lives as they will to his. I wish this family all the best.

hey kk_619 i was just watching entertainment tonight and they said that davids dad’s didn’t want him to go away forver but if he took him back he would feel so bad, becaus ehe would probably burry him in the village.. somthing along thoes lines, but they really look like a happy family and wish them the best!

Congratulations to Madonna & her family, baby David looks happier than ever!!

One question though: what ever happened to Davids Dad saying that he didnt want Madonna to adopt his son anymore. I know that Madonna said it was all a scam, that someone got to him and told him to lie and say he didnt know what adoption meant, but how does she know that for sure?? Did Davids Dad finally say that its ok for her to adopt him again, or did she just adopt, without the Dad wanting her to??

Babyrazzi.com is a website that focuses on the entertainment and lifestyle needs of today's family.Babyrazzi offers work-safe and family-friendly insight into the latest celebrity gossip, paparazzi photos, and up-to-the minute pop culture news with a targeted focus on celebrity babies, pregnancies, and all things family and relationships. We also offer product review and important product recall information. The INO blog family includes Babyrazzi.com, ImNotObsessed.com, and LadyandtheBlog.com.

BabyRazzi LLC publishes rumors and conjecture in addition to accurately reported facts. Information on this site may or may not be true and BabyRazzi LLC makes no warranty as to the validity of any claims.